Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

 

Liberal Studies Program 521 Varner Hall • (248) 370-2154 • Fax (248) 370-4280 www.oakland.edu/mals

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Director:
Christopher R. Clason, Professor of German
352 O’Dowd Hall
Telephone: (248) 370-2063
clason@oakland.edu 
  

Executive Committee:
Eric LaRock, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Debra McGinnis, Associate Professor of Psychology
Aldona Pobutsky, Associate Professor of Spanish
Fay Hansen, Associate Professor of Biology

 

Program description

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies is an innovative and rigorous interdisciplinary approach to graduate education designed for adult post-baccalaureate students wishing to explore new subjects, develop their intellectual resources, and extend their range of knowledge. The objectives of this program are in harmony with the goals of a liberal education: that is, to cultivate the individual’s ability to integrate diverse fields of human knowledge and activity.

The program is not specifically vocational or professional but is valued by employers in a wide range of professions because it fosters intellectual development, hones and expands critical thinking skills, encourages personal creativity and intellectual flexibility, and provides broad-based knowledge across traditional academic disciplines.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

• July 15 for fall semester
• November 15 for winter semester
• March 15 for summer semester

Readmission and program transfer

Requests for readmission and program transfers must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester.

International application deadlines

International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission. International applicants are not eligible for Special Graduate classification.

Special Graduate classification

Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission.  The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department.  Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.

Students may request special graduate classification beginning  with the dates below.

• August 1 for fall semester
• December 1 for winter semester
• April 1 for summer semester

Note: Special Graduate classification will not be granted after the first week of classes in a semester

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following university and program application documents by the published application deadlines.

University graduate application requirements

• Application for Admission to Graduate Study        
• Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
• Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
  • As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
• Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
  (Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)
• Proof of English language proficiency

• International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate. 

Program application requirements

• Personal goal statement summarizing academic and/or professional background as well as objectives for entering the program
• A minimum of a 3.0 grade-point on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate study. Students who do not meet the grade-point minimum and/or other requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis with the approval of the director and the executive committee. All conditions placed on such an admission must be met before full admission to the program will be granted.
• Requirements for recommendations:
  Strong letters of recommendation that directly address the applicant’s intellectual interests as well as academic background and potential for success in a graduate program. Students applying within two years of university graduation must have letters from two of their professors assessing the quality of their undergraduate record. 

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Transfer credit

Up to 8 graduate credits completed in residence at another institution may be applied toward the 36-credit minimum degree requirement. Transfer credits must be approved by the program’s executive committee and are subject to the conditions indicated in Oakland University’s “Transfer Credit Policy” in the graduate catalog. Up to 8 graduate credits may be applied from another Oakland University school, subject to the approval of the program’s executive committee.